Boot-tree



A. M. MOORE. BOOT TEEE.

Patented Mar. 19, 1889.

(No Model.)

"lill Illii Wf//Essss `boot-tree; Fig. 2, avertical transverse section artnr Orricn.

ALFRED M. MOORE, OE MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT-TREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,684, dated March 19, 1889.

Application led December 26, 1888. Serial No. 294,656. (No model.)

To all whom t 11M/,y concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. MOORE, of Malden, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Boot-Trees, of which thefollowin g is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make an d use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speciiication, in which Figure l is a side elevation of my improved of the same Fig. 8, an elevation showing the foot-piece detached from the leg portion; and F1'g.et,a like view illustrating the ordinary construction of these parts.

Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates especially to that class 0f boot-trees which are employed in the inanufacture of rubber boots; and it consists in certain novel features, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more durable device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

In the drawings, A represents the leg portion, and B the foot-piece, of the tree.

As ordinarily constructed the upper inner corners, b, of the foot-piece (sec Fig. Ll) are square or cut to a sharp angle, the socket in the leg portion being shaped to conform thereto. The trees are usually constructed of wood, the grain of the leg portion running vertically, while that of the foot portion runs longitudinally, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. After the boot is laid onto the tree the whole is subjected to intense heat. From constant repetition this causes the wood to become very brittle and easily broken. Then attaching the sole to the boot, the operator is obliged to strike against the bottoni of the foot portion, frequently causing the corners b thereof, which have become weakened, as described, to crumble or break off. The foot portion is thereby rendered practically useless and in operative, as it cannot then be firmly secured to the leg portion. By my improvement these objections are entirely obviated, and in carrying out the same I bevel the upper corners, fm, so that they converge toward a point, a', at the rear, as shown in Fig. 2. The sides of the ordinary socket, z, in the leg A are extended in the upper portion, forming a chamber, t, the side walls, f, of which converge toward a point, fu, at the rear, said chamber being adapted to receive the beveled portion m of the foot-piece.

It will readily be seen that by beveling the corners m, as described, the liability of injury to the foot-piece is greatly reduced.

The foot-piece B maybe secured to the leg by any suitable device, the one shown in the drawings consist-ing of a rod, O, provided with a loop or handle, t', on its upper end and fitted to rotate in a Vertical opening, d, extending through said leg. A vertical chamber, g, is formed in the foot-piece in position to register with the opening d and receive the lower end of the rod O, which is screw-threaded at 71..

A horizontally-arranged plate, p, is disposed in the footpiece and passes across the chamber g, being provided therein with a threaded hole, into which the end h of the rod may be turned, and thereby securely lock said foot to the leg portion.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is l. In a boot-tree, a foot-piece having its inner upper corners beveled, substantially as and for the purpose described. l

2. In a boot-tree, the combination of afoot piece having beveled upper corners, a leg portion provided with a chamber having converging walls for receiving the beveled portion of said foot-piece, and means for detachably locking said foot-piece to the leg, substantially as described.

ALFRED M. hIOORE. lVitn esses:

O. M. SHAW, HELEN M. FEEGAN. 

